Daud Olatunji
The Department of State Services (DSS) has released the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, on bail after hours of detention at its Abuja headquarters.
Ajaero, who was apprehended on Monday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while en route to the United Kingdom for an official engagement, had his arrest condemned by civil rights groups and labor advocates.
The detention of Ajaero, Nigeria’s leading labor figure, stirred public outcry and concern among the labor community and human rights organizations.
According to a statement by the NLC, Ajaero’s arrest was conducted without a warrant, raising questions about the government’s handling of opposition voices.
Omoyele Sowore, a prominent human rights activist and leader of the #RevolutionNow movement, confirmed Ajaero’s release, denouncing the arrest as an example of increasing authoritarianism under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement on social media, Sowore emphasized the need for labour unions and civil society to remain vigilant against what he described as government oppression.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that Ajaero’s legal representation, facilitated by Barrister Marshal Abubakar from Femi Falana Chambers, secured his release.
The NLC, through its Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, strongly condemned the arrest, calling it “a brazen act of lawlessness” and accusing the government of attempting to silence dissenting voices.
The union reiterated that Ajaero was not a fugitive and his detention was unjustified under Nigerian law.
The NLC’s statement read, “This is an unmistakable demonstration of the height of lawlessness being perpetuated by the Nigerian government and its agencies in their bid to silence every voice of dissent.
“Such actions are not only undemocratic but immoral, as well as a direct affront to the fundamental rights of citizens and organizations to lawfully express their views and carry out their activities.”
The union called on its affiliates and civil society groups to remain on high alert and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Ajaero.
The NLC further urged the international community to take note of what it termed a “rising wave of authoritarianism” in Nigeria.
While Ajaero’s arrest was linked to labour union activities and his opposition to government policies, another dimension surfaced when Air Peace, one of Nigeria’s leading airlines, issued a statement denying involvement in the labour leader’s detention.
The airline was responding to speculations that Ajaero’s arrest may have been tied to a year-old petition filed by the airline against the NLC.
According to Omotade Makinwa, the spokesperson for Air Peace, the airline had filed a petition in May 2023 after its operations were disrupted by the NLC during a larger conflict between the labor union and the Imo State Government.
The disruption caused significant financial losses for the airline, leading to a formal complaint to the Nigerian Police.
Makinwa clarified that the airline had withdrawn its petition after reaching an amicable resolution with the NLC.
“Over a year later, the Nigerian Police chose to act on the original petition, which has now led to the alleged arrest of the NLC president,” Makinwa said, stressing that the airline had no involvement in Ajaero’s recent arrest.
The statement continued, “Before this arrest, the airline and the NLC had already reached an amicable resolution, and Air Peace had withdrawn its petition, allowing a positive working relationship to resume between the two organizations.”
The airline emphasized its concern over the media portrayal linking Ajaero’s detention to the petition, stating that such reports were inaccurate and unfairly tarnished its reputation.
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